Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 34

Because the Countess’s estate always emphasized such flashy and attention-grabbing handkerchiefs, I ended up choosing this color without even realizing it.
Still, I didn’t expect it to look this mismatched.

“It’s all right. This is actually better. If the handkerchief were dark too, you wouldn’t even see it.”

Braeden smiled as he accepted the handkerchief from her. Despite his rough appearance, the way he tucked it away was unexpectedly gentle and precise.

A long horn sounded in the distance. It was the signal that the opening ceremony was about to begin.

“Well then, I should be going.”

From a distance, the Emperor and Empress could be seen stepping onto the platform. The sound of clanking armor filled the arena as the competitors gathered.

“Braeden!”

Juliana called out his name without thinking as he turned to leave. She took a deep breath and spoke.

“Please, don’t get hurt.”

Braeden gave her a soft smile and nodded.
“Of course. I’ll be fine.”

Juliana blinked quickly, not quite believing the words she had just said. His broad back as he walked away suddenly felt unfamiliar to her.

While she stood there watching Braeden disappear into the distance, Lochlan approached her and spoke.

“There’s no need to worry about him.”

Although his words carried confidence and trust, there was something strangely cold about them. It felt like he was saying that worrying about Braeden was completely pointless.

“You’re right. He is strong.”

As Juliana nodded, Lochlan parted his lips slightly, as if he wanted to correct her.

But before he could say anything, someone else approached, and he had to step back.

“Lady Barnett. What a pleasure. So this is where you were.”

Cheryl approached, wearing a deep purple dress that most people couldn’t pull off, adorned with layers of extravagant jewelry. She waved her fan gracefully as she walked.

Despite her striking outfit, it suited her perfectly.

“Good afternoon, Marchioness Clemence.”

Juliana greeted her with poise. Cheryl smiled in return and then looked toward Lochlan.

Lochlan, caught off guard by her gaze, flinched slightly and forced an awkward smile.

“That design. Is it your work?”

She was pointing at the decorations on Archduke Ortis’s horse and armor.

The ornate and commanding design had already become a topic of conversation among the nobles.

“It is. May I ask why you’re asking?”

His voice was tense and cautious, filled with suspicion. Cheryl laughed lightly.

“I had a feeling for a while now. You really do have a remarkable eye.”

When Cheryl unexpectedly complimented him, Lochlan’s eyebrows drew together sharply. A bad feeling came over him, and he instinctively took a step back.

“An excellent eye? No, absolutely not.”

Lochlan firmly denied the compliment, but Cheryl looked at him as if he were amusing. Her eyes gleamed with intensity, sharp like a predator watching its prey.

“And now you’re being modest too. That only makes you more appealing.”

Lochlan’s shoulders twitched at her words.
As the loyal aide and advisor to the archdemon Belial, it had been hundreds of years since he had last felt a chill like that.

“You are too kind. But I am quite busy, so I should be going. Please, continue your conversation.”

Ignoring the fierce look in Cheryl’s eyes, Lochlan stepped behind Juliana as if to hide. In that moment, this gentle woman felt like the strongest shield he could ask for.

“That was a bit much, don’t you think?”

While Juliana spoke lightly, Lochlan used the chance to make a quick escape. Cheryl clicked her tongue and shook her head as she watched him go.

“Too much? I always speak sincerely.”

She pouted, as if people never believed how honest she was.

Lochlan certainly had not looked convinced. In fact, he looked terrified.
Juliana held back a smile and kept her thoughts to herself.

Just then, the Emperor stepped forward to give his opening address.

Cheryl kept her eyes on the Emperor, but quickly glanced at the Empress seated behind him. Then she leaned close to Juliana and asked in a quiet voice,

“Has Her Majesty asked to see you again since then?”

“No, not yet. I haven’t heard anything from her.”

Juliana found it strange too. She had expected to be summoned again and scolded for something trivial.

Was something going on in the palace? Or was the Empress staying quiet because of the tournament?
Or maybe the tea Juliana had given her had actually softened her mood.

There were plenty of possibilities, but they were only guesses. Juliana knew better than to let her guard down.
She reminded herself that the Empress still saw her as a thorn in her side.

Whether it was a coincidence or not, Empress Pamela’s eyes turned in their direction.
Juliana did not look away or try to avoid her gaze.

They were too far apart to make eye contact, but Juliana was certain that the Empress was watching her.

A loud cheer broke out across the arena. The opening ceremony had ended, and the athletes raised their voices in unison.

Another horn sounded, and the athletes began to move to their assigned areas according to the match schedule.
The nobles also moved to new seats, following the competitors they supported.

“You are going to watch Archduke Ortis’s match, aren’t you?”

Cheryl asked sweetly, gently linking her arm with Juliana’s.

“Yes, of course.”

“It’s going to be terribly boring though.”

“Will you be watching a different match, Marchioness Clemence?”

“No, I’ll be watching Archduke Ortis’s match too. The other ones are even more boring.”

Cheryl spoke with her usual sharp but playful expression.

Juliana smiled, thinking that even though Cheryl always spoke with a bit of bite, she was actually a warm person underneath.
Braeden would probably be stunned if he ever realized that.

The jousting tournament was a long event that lasted an entire week.
With so many participants gathered from all over, even seven days didn’t feel like enough.
That was why most of the preliminary matches were packed into the first day.

By the time they entered the arena where Braeden’s match would take place, the first match had already ended.
Cheers and boos echoed through the stands.

The winning knight raised his lance proudly while still on horseback, and the losing knight limped away from the field, possibly injured.

Since there were so many matches, everything moved quickly.
The next match began right away.

The crowd was growing more excited. Bets were being placed across the arena.

Elegant noblewomen whispered to each other behind their fans as they judged the contestants.
The noblemen sent their servants to place bets on their behalf.

Cheryl glanced back at the scene and smiled in amusement.

Wherever human greed and desire gathered, it was the perfect ground for the archdemon Mammon.

She moved easily through such places, stirring up desires and luring people in like moths to a flame.
She was an expert at drawing out everything sweet and satisfying before leaving them empty.

But the woman whose arm was linked with hers, Juliana Barnett, was someone she could not figure out.

Cheryl did not know what Juliana wanted.
She could not even guess what kind of temptation might draw her in.

“What do you like, Miss Barnett?”

Cheryl’s eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity.

She had met countless people, but it was rare to find someone whose heart was this hard to read.

“What I like?”

Juliana looked at her, surprised, as if no one had asked her that before.

“Yes, something you enjoy. Anything at all. It shouldn’t be that hard of a question.”

Cheryl tilted her head slightly. Juliana fell into quiet thought.

She had been taught that patience and endurance were the virtues of a proper lady.
So she had never been used to expressing what she liked.

The same went for things she disliked.
She simply lived by accepting what was given.

That life had led to a miserable end.

After a moment, Juliana finally answered.

“Cake with lots of cream. Sleeping in late under a blanket that feels like a cloud.
Reading books late into the night.
Just sitting there, doing nothing, looking up at the sky.”

As she spoke, her face took on the softness of a young girl.

Cheryl was caught off guard.
Juliana, who always appeared graceful and composed, wanted things so simple and ordinary.

“To be more specific, what I really want is freedom.
Freedom to do what I want, when I want, without anyone stopping me or telling me otherwise.”

Juliana smiled clearly, but for some reason, that smile made Cheryl feel strangely uneasy.

“You’re getting married soon.
Marriage is one of the furthest things from freedom.”

Cheryl leaned in slightly, speaking like she was sharing a secret.

Juliana found her expression amusing.
Cheryl looked like she was urging her to run away while she still could.

“It’s all right. His Grace is much more understanding than people give him credit for.”

“Ah, well, is that so?”

Cheryl raised her eyebrows slightly, unsure what to make of that answer.

Juliana let out a quiet laugh, noticing that Cheryl did not seem to fully believe her words.

But she had meant it. When she said it was all right, it wasn’t just to be polite.
She truly meant it.

Two years from now, she would get divorced and finally gain the freedom she had always wanted.

“Do you need my help?”

Cheryl narrowed her eyes slightly as she asked.
She looked completely ready to help Juliana escape in the middle of the night if that was what she wanted.

Juliana laughed again.

“No, but if I ever do, I’ll let you know.”

Just then, it was Braeden’s turn to enter the arena.

His opponent was massive, with armor that shone threateningly over his large frame.

Braeden entered from one side of the field and immediately began looking for Juliana.

Because of the ring she was wearing, he spotted her right away.
And then he noticed Mammon standing close beside her.

Braeden had sent Lochlan to keep her safe in case anything happened,
so seeing Mammon near her now made him frown.

He raised one eyebrow in displeasure.

At that moment, the flag was raised, signaling the start of the match.

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